Reach Charter Academy Starts Honors Program in Kindergarten

Reach Charter Academy has designed an honors program that will begin as early as kindergarten to prepare students for college readiness.

“The honors program was designed to give challenging, learning and growth opportunities to students that are exceptional academically and are personally motivated,” said Lorianne DeDominico, principal of Reach.

The goal of the new program is to have students enter middle school ahead of their peers.

“We want students to have high school level math and advanced ELA classes before they leave Reach Academy in the eighth grade,” said DeDemonico.

The program was birthed when DeDemonico noticed there were proficient students who could go further academically if they were challenged. 

The program allows teachers to present students with grade level standards and push them into higher grade level objectives. Students will be challenged with more opportunities to think critically with material that meets their strong academic abilities.

Parents are also an important part of the honors program. Strong parental partnerships is expected to ensure students are completing homework and keeping up with class work.

While most schools start honors programs in upper elementary classes, the Reach honors program will begin in Kindergarten. 

“Students are academically challenged as soon as they are ready,” said DeDominico. 

The middle school grades already have advanced classes and will be challenged even more.

Reach already has more than 100 students signed up for the program. They were inducted into the honor’s program last year and will begin classes  at the start of school on Sept. 4.

Reach Charter Academy is a free public charter school serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade.